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3

Contents

Introduction

The composition of compensation

Q&A

Case study: Cosmetic injuries

Case study: Slip ‘n’ trip

Case study: Psychiatric damage: invisible harm

General damages for pain and suffering

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The price of being injured

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Case study: Catastrophic workplace injury

• 

Case study: Whiplash injury

Barriers to justice

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Workplace diseases

• 

Bereavement damages

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Psychiatric harm

• 

Discount rate

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Criminal injuries

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4-6

7-9

10

11

12-13

14-17

18-23

Introduction

This booklet explains compensation for personal injuries: why it is 

important that injured people are compensated; what it takes for them 

to receive compensation; and how we can ensure the legal system is fit 

for purpose.

Many people may not give a second thought to the realities of needing 

help after an injury. No-one plans to be injured. Hopefully most of us 

will never experience needless pain and have to seek support from the 

law as a consequence. But in a modern, caring society, those who are 

injured because of someone else’s failure to take proper care should 

not have to suffer any further and should not lose out financially as a 

consequence. As members of that society, we all need to appreciate 

the realities for injured people who have their lives thrown into 

disarray, on any scale, through no fault of their own. 

Deborah Evans

Chief Executive

Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL)